Nintendo 3DS: Support To Continue Into 2018, Data Transfer To New 2DS XL Confirmed

Nintendo will keep pumping life support into its 3DS line up to 2018. To that end, games will be announced continuously, according to Nintendo boss Reggie Fils-Aimé.

It's believed that with the Switch now hightailing its way onto the market — and to wild fanfare, to be clear — Nintendo would effectively kill the 3DS. It makes sense, if only for the reason that it would help Nintendo focus on the Switch alone.

That won't be the case, however, as Fils-Aimé confirmed in an interview with IGN. There are still some 3Ds-related stuff planned for E3, one of gaming's biggest conferences.

"We will certainly be announcing new titles for the 3DS platform, and we'll do that continuously," said Fils-Aimé.

Fils-Aimé didn't lay down specific title, but they'll presumably be new ones that'll add to the 3DS's stellar library of upcoming games. Still slated for release are games such as Ever Oasis, Hey! Pikmin, Lady Layton, and more.

Why Killing The 3DS Makes Sense, And Why It Doesn't

While the notion of cutting off the 3DS makes sense, continuing to support the system makes a lot of sense, too. The 3DS line of systems is this generation's best-selling console, in both handheld and home console categories. More than 60 million 3DS units are lying around globally; a readily tappable market.

The problem is, however, the Switch is also effectively a handheld. It's both a handheld and a home console, and its presence in the market makes it awkward for the 3DS to still hang around. Consider this: why buy the 3DS if you can buy the Switch instead? It's more powerful, more feature-packed, and most importantly, more promising.

But the Switch is a $299 machine, and not everyone can shell out that much for a new system. Maybe this is why Nintendo recently announced that it's releasing the New 2DS XL, a $150 2DS sequel with specs that parallel the New 3DS XL line. If you don't like 3D, it's the 3DS version to get.

New Nintendo 2DS XL

The 2DS XL is a prettier, sleeker, and more refined version of the 2DS, featuring the same old clamshell design of the whole DS clan. But until Nintendo itself unveiled it, there was arguably no need for such a system at all. Fils-Aimé disagrees, telling Time:

"There is a visual impact difference between these different items, and we believe in our market by having these three different variants."

According to him, the 2DS XL is a way to appeal to gamers who want a Nintendo 3DS XL, but don't want to spend $199 for it. They might also not care for 3D. Hence, the new console is for gamers who are looking for something in between. It doesn't have 3D, a marquee feature of the 3DS, but it's cheaper.

New 2DS XL Data Transfer Confirmed

Apart from ensuring that Nintendo will keep supporting the 3DS line, the company also confirmed that any 3DS will be able to transfer its data over to a New 2DS XL. So for those of you who already have a 3DS but want to upgrade to the New 2DS XL, you can transfer your system data.